Passport office unable to maintain operations without fee hikes, says agency

OTTAWA – The cost of getting a Canadian passport is going up significantly in the new year.

Without the fee increases, Passport Canada says it would not be able to maintain current operations, let alone offer security-enhanced travel documents.

New regulations posted this week confirm the cost of a five-year passport will increase to $120 from $87.

And starting in July 2013, a 10-year passport will also be offered at a cost of $160.

By March 2014, Passport Canada will also charge an additional $45 to replace a passport that’s lost or stolen, something that is currently free.

The agency says it’s currently losing nearly $5 every time it issues a passport, and has been financing its deficit by using previously accumulated surpluses that will run out next year.